thanks for checking. no the gauges are not back on. doesn't look like a ground is missing, but i will triple check for sure. the lights are wired separate and are working fine, i made my own led set up for that. in fact everything else is working great, just the electric start is "off". i will put the gauges back eventually, or at least one of them and we'll see. i have a wiring color chart that seems to suggest that the brown/white wire of the gauges is somehow involved in the ignition circuit.
anyone else have thoughts?